Arsenal were told on Monday that Lars Bender is not for sale at any price
after the club made a formal inquiry for the Germany and Bayer Leverkusen
midfielder.

Arsène Wenger is mindful that Arsenal were especially reliant last season on Mikel Arteta in the holding midfield position and, as well as recruiting a new striker, the manager has made it one of his transfer priorities this summer.

A fee of around £19 million was proposed but Leverkusen have already made major sales this summer, with André Schürrle joining Chelsea and Real Madrid buying Daniel Carvajal, and are adamant that they will not sell.

Arsenal are now considering whether to return with an offer of more than £20 million for the 24-year-old, whose has a contract at Leverkusen until 2017, or pursue other targets in that position.

They failed with a transfer deadline bid for Toulouse’s Étienne Capoue in ­January, while Everton’s Marouane Fellaini has been considered, albeit Arsenal would be reluctant to reach the £24 million buy-out clause.

Ilkay Gundogan is another midfielder to have been scouted but it would also be difficult to prise him away from Borussia Dortmund.

As well as a £22 million deal that has been agreed in principle for Real Madrid striker Gonzalo Higuain, Arsenal are well placed to sign goalkeeper Julio Cesar from Queens Park Rangers.

They have also considered Liverpool’s Pepe Reina and Stoke City’s Asmir Begovic but either option would cost more than £10 million. At a fee of around £1.5 million, Cesar would represent better value for money and has impressed hugely with his performances for Brazil in the Confederations Cup.

Vito Mannone, Arsenal’s third-choice keeper, is close to joining Sunderland and Wenger has been giving serious thought to adding a more experienced option alongside Wojciech Szczesny and Lukasz Fabianski for next season.

Arsenal have signed French youth international striker Yaya Sanogo, a free agent after leaving Ligue 2 team Auxerre, on a long-term contract